I really enjoyed this teaching when I read it the other day…..I hope you do too! Jane

Sweetgrass – a kindness medicine… has a sweet gentle aroma when we light it… 21 strands to make a braid… the first 7 strands represent those 7 generations behind us… our parents, grandparents… 7 generations behind us.. who we are and what we are is because of them.. they’ve brushed and made the trails we have been walking up till now… the old people tell us that it takes longer for us to heal today and the reason is because the old trails our ancestors used to use to find us have been destroyed… they’ve build dams which have destroyed the old trails… they’ve build towns and cities where the old trails used to be… so now our ancestors are having a harder time trying to find us to help us heal… the next seven represent the 7 sacred teachings… love, respect, honesty, courage, wisdom, truth, and humility… the old people tell us how simple, powerful and beautiful the teachings are… love- a very simple teaching… respect- a powerful teaching… humility- a beautiful teaching… when we truly understand the teaching of humility… that I am not any better then anyone else and you are not any better then me… that at the end of the day we are all simply human beings… this is what makes this teaching powerful and beautiful… the only thing wrong with the teachings is that we don’t walk them everyday… love is only a 4 letter word… it’s when we walk that love, when we show it, when we live it… that’s what makes these teachings powerful and beautiful… one other thing we are reminded is that how can we love someone else if we don’t First love ourself… how can we respect another if we don’t First respect ourself… they tell us that the teachings need to first start from within ourself… the last 7 strands… those 7 generation in front of us… our children, grandchildren… those children yet to be born… why are they important… everything we do to Mother Earth will one day affect them… right now the earth gives us everything and anything we can possibly want to have the life we have… but if we don’t look after her, what’s going to be left when it’s their turn… the circle that’s around me today, is that the same circle I want to pass on to them… especially if my circle involves alcohol abuse, drug abuse, family violence, lying, stealing or cheating… sometime it’s up to us to break the cycle… and hopefully replace it with something better …we put those 3 braids together… they represent yesterday, today and tomorrow… mind, body and spirit…. man, woman and child… man, woman and Creator ….
When my son was born I made him a promise that we wouldn’t cut his hair till he was 7… we cut it 8 years ago, he’s 15 today… but when he was 4 years old he already knew this teaching… because every morning as I’d get him ready for daycare, I’d braid his hair… I’d ask him… Misko what does your braid represent … sweetgrass he’d say… what does sweetgrass represent my boy I’d ask… kindness he’d say… and what does each of your braids represent my boy… my mind, my body and my spirit was his reply… ok what are you going to do at daycare today my boy I’d ask… dad!!!! I’m going to be kind to my mind, my body and my spirit he’d say… awesome my boy!!! What’s going to happen if you do that today my boy I’d ask… he’d say… dad! I’m going to be STRONG !!!!
You see that’s the second teaching that comes with this medicine… it’s through our kindness that we are most strong… anybody can raise their fist at anyone else… anyone can use their words to hurt or put someone down… but when we have someone in our face trying to hurt us with their actions or words… and to still love, respect and show that person kindness… that takes a lot of strength !!!!

All of my life really, has been a journey towards trust. Trust that the forces of the Universe are conspiring to support me, not betray me. I get lessons big and small, all the time. Right now though, I want to talk about one particular lesson.

A few years ago, it was time to build our Dance Arbor and we were scratching our heads wondering how to pay for that. We needed a backhoe to contour the land, and treated wood for the structure, shade cloth to cover it and of course……a ceremonial drum! That year, we had a drum vision quest in February inside the Peace Chamber. A lovely woman came from CA to join us, she sent us $2000 initially saying the extra money was to help anyone else who wanted to come. Now we were asking about $150 for the whole weekend so that was a LOT extra. Jack and I were ecstatic since that was definitely enough to get the backhoe to get started.

After the weekend was over and everyone had left – Jack mentioned there was a card down on the Altar in the Chamber and when we looked there were 4 more checks for $2000 each. At that moment, my heart was filled with gratitude and awe to see how our needs could be met in such an unexpected way.

You might ask yourself what this has to do with the drum and trust, well…..I had a drum made at a “discounted” price that year by someone I trust and love who was doing me a favor. What was I thinking you might ask, well – I wasn’t thinking, I was in fear that we might not have enough money to do that first dance, that it might not be “perfect” and that of course is another conversation….one for another time.

I thought I was doing the right thing but what is interesting is that the drum, although beautiful, has never been quite right. Strapping has broken, the frame warped into the shape of the chamber (pretty awesome) and the sound wasn’t what we hoped. To be fair, the drum was made on the east coast where conditions are very different than in Tucson. But that drum had lessons to teach us.

This also ties into holding these wonderful Vision Quest dances on our land, we receive what we need to do this deep and powerful work. How many dancers is enough? Can we cover all the costs involved? These are some of the fears I have and each year, I’m shown again and again….that it all works out.

Well this past year, I’ve realized that we need a new drum and I knew just the person to ask. This drum is made from cottonwood from our beloved teacher’s land and it’s also being made in such a way that it can handle our very dry climate. The cost of this new drum is $900 and some of that money came to me almost right away, but I’m telling you this tale to see if you can find it in your hearts to help with the rest. It can be $20 or $5 or $100 – it all depends on what you feel you want to send.

This deep lesson of trust is one we all share really and being open to the UNIverse answering our prayers in unexpected and delightful ways. Our Sun-Moon Dance is Thursday April 12 to Sunday April 15th…….we would welcome you as a support person or a dancer if your heart calls you to it. Consider it, with your heart not your head and jump into the pool of trust knowing that you can do it! Aho

If you’d like to help us cover the cost of this new drum, you can send a check to Jane Innmon at 5284 W Sweetwater Drive Tucson AZ 85745
ps this image is for a beloved sister’s drum..it is not our new drum

Heron medicine is the power of knowing the self by discovering its gifts and facing its challenges. It is the ability to accept all feelings and opinions without denying any emotion or thought. Heron flies over those who are unaware of who they are and where they belong in the world. Gently dropping a blue feather to them, Heron asks that they follow their intuition and begin the empowering journey of self-realization.

If the great Blue Heron has flown into your cards today, it is urging you to dive into the watery world of feelings to seek your truth. From The Medicine Cards by Jamie Sams & David Carson

“It is the ability to accept all feelings and opinions without denying any emotion or thought.” This is what jumped out for me and it is a pretty tall order if you think about it, but a worthy goal and something to strive for.

Blue Heron was the card I selected this morning during morning meditation. This bit of the reading is for the upright position but the card was upside down and it was the only card in the deck that was in that position! SO, the contrary message is to not do too much self-reflection as it can lead to self-obsession and too much criticism. It is reminding me that wholeness can not be attained in one deep dive but that we must also resurface for air!

I liked both messages, and can say that lately I’ve been feeling the need for a deep dive into old stuff that still needs to find expression and to be released.

It is fortunate that I have some very good friends in my life that help me to see things when I need to, and remind me of tools I have but had forgotten. It is also my joy to offer that to others, along with personalized ceremony and Flower Essences to assist in those shifts we all need to make from time to time. It’s what makes us human. As human’s it is our nature to crystallize in our thinking and it is also in our nature to grow and change but sometimes we need a little help. If you’d like to schedule a time to talk to me, to see if there may be a way for me to help with a transition or time of change….let me know and we can get you on the calendar!

The time is fast approaching for our Sun-Moon Dance and just the thought of being in the Arbor once again makes my heart sing. The dances that our teacher Joseph Rael gifted us with have been instrumental in some major transformations in my own life and if you are curious about the dances – let’s talk! Our dance this year is April 12-15th. You may feel the heart call to Dance or support as a kitchen helper or a Dog Soldier, there are many ways to be a part of something that is almost beyond description and a true gift to us personally and to All the People. Ours is just one of many Visioning dances that take place around the US and around the world so if we aren’t near you, there may be another dance that is a better fit. If you let me know of your interest, I can check and see.

I just returned from 6 days in CA at the Sun-Moon Dance. There were 30 dancers in the Arbor and that many and more outside supporting the Dance. Every single time I try to write about the Dance, words fail me. It is damn near impossible to convey the beauty and power of it.

Every single person there was in the vibration of love…every. single. person. It was a love fest! It was hard and at times the power of it was overwhelming – to the point that I had to go lay down before my head blew off.

I made a Venus and Mars infused water on Friday morning in the Arbor at the moment they were conjunct. It was used on Sunday and given to every person there, to help us bring our masculine and our feminine into balance. I got to tell the dancers about the painting Joseph made of the Morning Star Water Blessing Ceremony and how I made that water for our Dancers this year.

I also forgot to bring it to them as I intended and then I realized Spirit had a plan for me to make the Venus and Mars balanced water and this celestial event was taking place the morning the Dance began!

It was received by each dancer with gratitude and later I was allowed to go in and dance one round with them. There are so many instances of joy and beauty and power in a dance and this is just one of them.

By Monday afternoon most everyone had gone but those of us who were left had the chance to laugh, to decompress and share deeply our experiences of this dance.

I implore you, if you can, DANCE – it will change your life, you will fall in love.

I’ve been very lazy about writing and I’m going to change my ways. The last year has been packed with many opportunities to grow and change and experience gorgeous ceremony. This is a panoramic image of our beautiful dance arbor, taken last weekend after the Long Dance by a Dancer.

We hosted the International Peace Chamber Gathering in April of this year. We had chambers from Europe, South America, Australia and all over the United States gathering together. It was a time of ceremony, movement, quiet communion and inspiration. Most of my energy went to planning that event and it was a joy filled thing to do.

It’s hard to explain but the people who do this ceremonial work, based on Joseph Rael’s teachings, are family. I know many people from all over the world and when we get to come together at a Gathering it is just so dang FUN.

We inspire each other to do more, to be more and to shine more light in the world. It’s not that we don’t experience adversity or problems – we do, but we also have a lot of strength and faith that things will work out. We turn our homes and land into sanctuary’s for the good of ALL the people.